Okay, I'm roaming through the $1 DVD bin AGAIN! And I see something football related! It didn't matter that after reading the synopsis on the back, I wasn't sure what kind of program it is! My simple equation is $1 DVD + football related = automatic buy! It didn't work out badly with "Coach of the Year" and it turned out to work even better with this! As it turns out, "Basic Football" is a humorous yet educational documentary that teaches the complex sport of American football in 44 minutes. I have no idea for whom it was made - home video, cable TV or other - but it looks very professional and, unlike the other $1 DVDs in my collection, the technical quality is excellent.
The film is hosted by Burt Reynolds, who in addition to his acting fame played running back for Florida State University and was drafted by the Baltimore (now Indianapolis) Colts. Reynolds appears in about half of the film and does a great job explaining football in a way that's equally humorous and educational.
Had the entire film featured Reynolds in that format, it would be an easy 10. But it's marred by three of the non-Reynolds segments. In those, a parole board interrogates a kicker and punter, questioning their value as football players, offensive linemen are verbally grilled by a female talk show audience and defense is taught in a college class. All three scenes have some funny moments but are too corny.
Also featured without Reynolds are several minutes of interviews with players that are well done.
Toward the end, a scene from the game in Reynolds' classic football movie "The Longest Yard" is shown.
All of the scenes, with and without Reynolds, are enhanced by dozens of clips from NFL and major college games, which give visual examples of the teachings. And Reynolds' scenes were all filmed at a perfect location, the University of Wisconsin's football stadium.
In conclusion, while this film could have been outstanding, it's still very good. It covers all of the major rules of football in very relatable ways. Most football fans will probably appreciate it and those who want to learn the game in a fun, quick and easy way will probably find it very helpful. 8/10.
The film is hosted by Burt Reynolds, who in addition to his acting fame played running back for Florida State University and was drafted by the Baltimore (now Indianapolis) Colts. Reynolds appears in about half of the film and does a great job explaining football in a way that's equally humorous and educational.
Had the entire film featured Reynolds in that format, it would be an easy 10. But it's marred by three of the non-Reynolds segments. In those, a parole board interrogates a kicker and punter, questioning their value as football players, offensive linemen are verbally grilled by a female talk show audience and defense is taught in a college class. All three scenes have some funny moments but are too corny.
Also featured without Reynolds are several minutes of interviews with players that are well done.
Toward the end, a scene from the game in Reynolds' classic football movie "The Longest Yard" is shown.
All of the scenes, with and without Reynolds, are enhanced by dozens of clips from NFL and major college games, which give visual examples of the teachings. And Reynolds' scenes were all filmed at a perfect location, the University of Wisconsin's football stadium.
In conclusion, while this film could have been outstanding, it's still very good. It covers all of the major rules of football in very relatable ways. Most football fans will probably appreciate it and those who want to learn the game in a fun, quick and easy way will probably find it very helpful. 8/10.
